LAKEWOOD, NJ (May 6, 2023) - Georgian Court Softball was one win away from their third straight CACC Tournament Championship but were unable to take down the top seed in the conference Wilmington. After defeating the Wildcats in the semifinal round to get to the finals, GCU needed to pull off the feat once again and came up just a bit short. Wilmington won the first game this morning, 7-3 to force the "if necessary" game and then won that as well 3-0.

Game 1 - Wilmington 7, Georgian Court 3
How it Happened
• It was one bad inning for Georgian Court that did them in in game one. Wilmington scattered 10 hits, just one extra-base hit. Georgian Court managed just six hits with a double and a home run.
• Both teams had chances but left runners on base. Wilmington left seven on while the Lions stranded five.
• Georgian Court made three errors in the field, that led to one unearned run. Wilmington made one error as well that didn't come back to hurt them.
• The Lions got on the board fast with a run in the second and two in the third. Taylor Barraza led off the second with a single and pinch runner Lia DeMaio came in to score on Savannah Simons' RBI double. Simons though was left stranded on base after getting into scoring position with no outs.
• Jayda Jones made it 3-0 in the top of the third. With one out, Kaitlyn Stufft ripped a single up the middle and Jones drove her in with a long home run to right center, the first home run of any team in the tournament.
• This was all done against Wilmington's Delani Sheehan, who eventually settled down.
• The Wildcats backed up their pitcher in the fourth. They played an entire game's worth of small ball in one inning and when all was said and done, scored six runs on five hits and were helped out by three GCU errors.
• Lexi Moore and Tristyn Stewart had RBI singles to get to within 3-2. They then scored two runs on squeeze bunts that also didn't result in any outs. 
• Jackie Cherry relieved Janelle Blaszka and a single and error on the infield allowed two more runs to score, but she did get a ground out to leave the bases loaded. The damage was done though and a three-run lead turned into a three-run deficit, 6-3.
• Sheehan remained in the game despite activity in the Wilmington bullpen and allowed just one baserunner, who was erased on a double-play, the rest of the way. Wilmington added an insurance run in the seventh with a two-out RBI single from Sara Miller to make it a 7-3 final.

Lions Stat Leaders
• Jayda Jones reached base with a home run and a walk. She drove in two runs.
• Kaitlyn Stufft roped two singles to center and scored.
• Taylor Barraza was on base in both plate appearances with a single and a walk.
• Savannah Simons doubled and drove in a run.
• Janelle Blaszka was perfect through three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. She gave up six runs, five earned on four hits with a strikeout.

For the Wildcats
• Delani Sheehan pitched all seven innings allowing three early runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. She was also 1-3 at the plate with a sacrifice.
• Taylor Gillis singled twice and scored twice.
• Sara Miller was 2-3 with a double, RBI and run scored.
• Lexi Moore had two hits in four at bats with a run scored.
• Hailey Downin and Cassidy Zelano each had a hit and an RBI.

Game Two - Wilmington 3, Georgian Court 0
• Similar to game one, it was one bad inning that did the Lions in. Wilmington scored three runs on six hits.
• Georgian Court pieced together five hits with two doubles. Wilmington homered and doubled as a part of their six hits.
• The Lions left five runners on base while Wilmington stranded four.
• The bad inning for GCU in this one was the first. Starter Maddie Rabe gave up a lead off home run to Taylor Gillis to start the inning, followed by a single, fly out and and then an RBI double. She was lifted for Janelle Blaszka who allowed an RBI single as the Wildcats took a 3-0 lead after one.
• CACC Pitcher of the Year Kylee Gunkel held the Lions scoreless. GCU had their best chance to score in the third. With one out, Jadalynn Rodriguez and Taylor Lipkins each singled, but while Adriana Mungo and Kaitlyn Stufft hit the ball well, they were right at the right fielder and the Wildcats escaped the threat. 
• Georgian Court also had hits in the fourth and fifth innings but were unable to string together enough to get a run in.
• Blaszka didn't allow another but the three runs stood up the rest of the game in the 3-0 Wilmington win.

Lions Stat Leaders
• Blaszka's final line read 5.2 innings allowing just three singles with a walk and a strikeout.
• Jadalynn Rodriguez had two of the Lions five hits including a long double to center.
• Kaitlyn Stufft, Taylor Barraza and Taylor Lipkins all finished 1-3.

For the Wildcats
• Kylee Gunkel tossed all seven innings allowing five hits and no runs with four strikeouts.
• Lexi Moore was 2-3 with a run scored.
• Taylor Gillis hit a home run in the first.

News and Notes
• Following the tournament, Taylor Barraza, Janelle Blaszka, Jayda Jones and Kaitlyn Stufft were named to the All-Tournament team.
• The game one loss snapped a three-game winning streak for GCU over Wilmington in the CACC Tournament.
• Georgian Court has been to four straight CACC Tournament finals, winning two.
• There were just two home runs hit in seven games of the CACC Tournament. Both came in the finals. 
• In the CACC Tournament, Kaitlyn Stufft hit .467 with seven hits in 15 at bats.
• Only once in the six games of the CACC Tournament did GCU score more than three runs. They were held scoreless over the final 11 innings. 

Up Next
• Georgian Court will look to advance to the NCAA Regional Championship with an at-large bid. They were ranked fourth in the latest regional rankings with the top-eight making the tournament. GCU will find out their fate Monday morning at 10 a.m. during the NCAA selection show.